AN EXTRA BUSY WEEK

This week is turning out to be much more adventurous than originally planned.
Monday, Preston spent the day with the big kids on a fun day of outings and yummy food. We went to the movies together that night along with our 2 best friends' families. I will have picts to post soon of some of their adventures.

Tuesday was a catch up from Monday, including re-scheduling of Monday appts. It also included a very disappointing and discouraging appointment with Colton's teacher and special needs team at school. They have determined he still does have many needs to help him be successful in school. The concern is he will most likely NOT get those needs met in a projected class size of 30-35 students. He will also only be given 5 HOURS, spread out over the whole school year, of "observation" from the OT and speech specialists. 5 hours out of hundreds, leaving the enforcement of his IEP (individualized education plan) to a teacher who will already be overwhelmed and overburdened.
I was very emotional during the meeting, but left feeling like our decision to put the kids into an accredited home study program will be the right decision, esp for Colton.
Colton's private OT therapy session went lots better this week, besides the fact that he has become much more difficult in following directions. Once he got going he did quite well and I left feeling like we had a much better experience -esp compared to last week.
That night Preston was out of town for drill, Ceana went to YW and I attended another disappointing, discouraging meeting. It was another school district budget meeting. It was a very long, drawn out meeting with much left to still be resolved. Unfortunately there was a minority vote to keep the committee in place to resolve major issues and the current budget plan for only $5.7 million dollars was approved. On top of the current/planned cuts of programs (all academics, all elementary PE and music) and staff the board is also going to recommend that there be 10+ days cut off of next school year. We found out that we are already behind the national average, and the cut days will not only put us a full month+ behind that current number, it will also result in the loss of accredidation of our high school.
They also "voted" to extend our school year by one week. I felt like they completely disregarded the voice of a parent and the whole voice of the community by really putting this in place weeks ago, but never allowed the community imput. It was a "done deal" way before now and their "show" of "public" meeting was awful to say the least. I know this decision by the board has blown all of our family plans since they have now moved both Colton's and Ceana's graduation activities into that extended week.

Wednesday was again filled with extra appts and errands that took me away from home for most of the day. I came home more than exhausted, and the kids are feeling it too.

Today is another day of appts for me. This will have been the 3rd trip to Corvallis in as many days. This appt was an unexpected opportunity to see a new dr I didnt plan to see for another month. I am nervous about the appt, esp considering the special phone call I got from the nurse to ask my feelings about actupuncture - yikes. I am truly hoping that this dr may be the answer I have been looking for and needing for so long. He comes very highly recommended from friends we love and trust, so keep your fingers crossed for me.
Tonight will also be Ceana's school band concert. She is not looking forward to it so much as she worried that the one song the kids do know will still go roughly. With so much time lost because of unexpected breaks (dec ice and Apr flu) they have not had the time to devote to the music they hoped to present. It will be a fun night to support her anyway - and a good close to the year for music. I am sure I will have more info and picts to share about today very soon.

Tomorrow will also be full of adventure. Kiddos are at school, with Caiden getting extra fun this week and next by the whole 3rd grade going to free swim lessons at our local pool. We are hoping to go tomorrow to watch him and get picts. Tomorrow will go out with a bang for just all the big kids. This weekend is the priesthood campout for Preston, Caiden and Colton. The boys are SO excited they can hardly stand it, esp that it will be time with preston for just extra fun. The girls are hosting a "girls' night" since the boys will be gone. The big girls havent had friends over for a really long time, so we thought it would be a fun thing to do. Again, I will have more to share on this soon.

Saturday Preston will have the Starlight Parade in Portland. You know the "Parade of Lights" at Disneyland? Portland does something similar every year. The parade is at night and every float is decked out in ton of lights, plus bands and other fun things. We went once with Preston when the 3 big kids were younger. I am hoping once little Miss gets bigger we can go with him again and enjoy that together.

Well, guess that is all for now. It is just a taste of what our week has been and will be like. I will for sure try to post picts and more comments when we gather them from the next few days.